From 22 to 23 July 2026, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 11) organised a regional workshop in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, bringing together female representatives of state institutions responsible for gender policies and gender mainstreaming from across Central Asia. The workshop focused on strengthening women's participation and promoting gender-responsive approaches to cross-border cooperation.

The two-day event provided a platform for participants to exchange national experiences and good practices, discuss common challenges and identify opportunities for advancing gender equality within institutions working in border management and border regions. Particular attention was given to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, and the integration of gender perspectives into cross-border cooperation initiatives.

Through expert presentations, country exchanges and interactive working groups, participants explored institutional approaches to gender mainstreaming, examined existing legal and policy frameworks, and discussed practical measures to enhance women's participation in decision-making processes. 

The workshop resulted in a shared understanding of the key challenges and opportunities related to women's participation in cross-border cooperation across Central Asia. Participants jointly identified priority areas for future regional and sub-regional cooperation, including strengthening institutional gender mainstreaming mechanisms, enhancing professional capacities of public officials, promoting peer learning and experience exchange, and further integrating the Women, Peace and Security agenda into national and regional initiatives. The recommendations developed during the working sessions will serve as a basis for a preliminary roadmap of future BOMCA 11 capacity-building activities and cooperation initiatives supporting gender-responsive cross-border cooperation in the region.

The activity was organised under Component 3, Engagement with Border Communities, which aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation through support to local development initiatives, promotion of human rights, gender equality and inclusive participation in border regions.